


Pent-up

by dirtyblonde



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! - All Media Types, Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Anger Management, Flirting, M/M, Sexual Tension, Sibling Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-14
Updated: 2020-01-14
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:13:47
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,003
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21858112
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dirtyblonde/pseuds/dirtyblonde
Summary: Seto decides to go to a chic new furniture store after seeing Mokuba's new sofa.
Relationships: Jounouchi Katsuya | Joey Wheeler/Kaiba Seto
Comments: 7
Kudos: 27





	Pent-up

It started with a sofa.

“Mokuba, what’s this?” Kaiba asked, a gentle furrow appearing between his eyebrows as he carefully studied the piece of furniture sitting before him. Grey-blue fabric, untufted. Walnut frame. Sleek stain and finishing.

“What is what big brother?” Mokuba replied without looking up from the quarterly reports he was poring over while absently tapping his pen against the edge of his desk. Seto had shown up earlier than Mokuba had been expecting for their weekly meeting and he was hurriedly trying to sign off on some reports to get them out of the way before they started.

“Mokuba,” Kaiba repeated, voice grumbling darkly with ill-concealed impatience.

“Just one more sec. I’m on the last page.” Mokuba held a finger up toward Seto in a futile bid for forbearance.

“Mokuba!” Kaiba barked.

“What!” Mokuba snapped back good-naturedly.

As Mokuba regarded Seto with an incredulous smile, he thought to himself for probably the millionth time that age was certainly no true indicator for maturity and that his older brother so often lagged lightyears behind him in that department. He let out a calming sigh, laced his fingers upon the desk, and made a patronizing show of readjusting in his chair so that he was facing Seto directly. “Yes. I’m sorry your lordship. Just helping you run our company over here, but I’m all ears now. What can I do for you brother mine? What crisis demands my _immediate_ , _undivided_ attention?”

Kaiba’s gaze was frosty, but his intimidation tactics held no threat for Mokuba (who well knew it) and was now grinning unapologetically at his over-indulgent brother whose lips were trying to purse a small smile away so severely Mokuba worried he would burst a blood vessel.

“Are you done?”

Teasing his brother was one of Mokuba’s chief pleasures. He made a show of pretending to think on it for a moment. “Mmm yes.” Then more firmly again. “Yes. What is what?” he repeated.

Kaiba uncrossed his arms and indicated the chic mid-century inspired three-seater sofa that had him mesmerized. Mokuba looked between Seto and the low piece of furniture for a minute to see if he was missing something. Apparently he was not.

“I got a new sofa,” Mokuba said slowly, but Seto seemed oblivious to the mocking in his tone. “Do you… like it?” Sometimes it was still hard to tell.

“It’s perfect,” Seto declared after a long while, looking very puzzled and fascinated by the elegant sofa.

“I mean if you _just wanted to compliment the sofa_ you’d think you could have let me have another minute to finish reviewing the quarterlies…” Mokuba mumbled to himself audibly and Seto narrowed his eyes toward him petulantly.

“Perfect huh? Well I’ll be sure to pass your praise along to the maker,” Mokuba said with a stifled chuckle and sly smile, letting his focus return to his computer screen now that his brother was otherwise occupied.

Kaiba’s eyes widened in surprise. “It’s someone you know?”

“It _is_.” Mokuba smirked knowingly.

Seto was now running his long fingers reverently over the smooth wooden arms, ignorant of his brother’s mirth, obsessively consumed by his own thoughts as he so often was. “I’ve been thinking of updating my office at the mansion. Do you think they could have something custom made for me?”

Mokuba nearly did a spit take before making a decision to have himself a little fun at his brother’s expense. “Well, why don’t I just send you the address and you can go and speak with someone yourself later this afternoon. I figure you’ll want to handle this one personally given how _particular_ you can be about things,” he finished delicately, ignoring the mild glare he was receiving.

“Okay,” Mokuba said, e-mailing his reports off with a resounding clap of satisfaction. “Who’s ready to talk park expansion?”

*****

The address Mokuba had given him was in a trendy DC neighbourhood not far from the KaibaCorp tower. Seto parked his sleek McLaren on the street near the storefront, Scapegoat Ltd., the sign tasteful even if the name was perhaps a little odd. A bell tinkled from somewhere above as Kaiba entered the showroom, but his aversion to the sound was soothed as he gazed appreciatively at all the stylish furniture surrounding him.

“With you in a minute!” came a distant voice from deep within the space, which looked to be about one quarter display area, maybe half warehousing with the remainder devoted to fabrication. Seto forced himself to wander aimlessly amidst the furniture to give himself the false air of a browser, playacting at waiting patiently despite the fact that it was virtually a foreign concept to him. A lifetime of instant gratification could do that to a person. After only a minute or so he felt a quiet anger rise.

“Sorry about that. It’s just me in right now and I always haveta be sorta wearing many hats if you know what I mean.” The apology came easy and earnest, Seto could hear the smile in the familiar, irritating, _infuriating_ voice getting closer and closer with every word. _Mokuba_. Seto boiled inwardly as he waited for the slow dawn of recognition to wash over the other man now striding blithely through the showroom. “What can I…”

Joey stopped short only a few feet from Kaiba, his words trailing away as the quirk of a smile lit up his features. He gave up trying to scrub what appeared to be a varnish stain off of his jeans with a worn rag, the unsuccessful task he’d been attempting while walking that had prevented him from registering who his customer was until the very last.

“Well, I haveta say, I never thought I’d see the day ol’ moneybags himself would deign to set foot in here,” Joey teased. Kaiba shrugged off surprise that a halfwit like Wheeler knew what deign meant before bristling visibly at his words, stewing hotter and hotter every second. What was it about him that got under his skin like no one else?

“If it’s just you then I guess the owner isn’t in?” Kaiba made the question sound like a demand as he glared dismissively at Joey, his tone overloud and condescending.

Joey didn’t answer for a long minute, literally biting his tongue as he considered. _I guess some people really never change_. A laugh accidentally escaped his lips and it made Kaiba see red.

“Did you hear me Wheeler?” Kaiba’s words were full of venom. “I’m sure communication is still a complex concept for a moronic animal like you to master, but I thought simple ‘yes’ and ‘no’ well within your grasp. I guess I stand corrected.” Kaiba couldn’t for the life of him understand how Wheeler had the gall to look so self-satisfied even as he was berated.

“Yeah, no. Like I said. Just me in today,” Joey finally responded with a shrug of his broad shoulders, a mischievous glint in his eye.

“Well, I’d be lying if I said it’s been a pleasure, although it’s comforting to know some people turn out just the way you expect they will. I’m sure being a furniture errand boy is very prestigious. I’ll come back another time.” Adding “Call first.” angrily under his breath as he made to storm away.

Kaiba turned to go but Joey put a hand on his shoulder to stop him. “Seto, don’t be ridiculous. I can help you. The boss is scheduled to be away for a bit so I’d at least like to get an order started, hear what kind of project you’re interested in?” Seto looked down at the hand still upon him like it burned and Joey let it drop, then put both of his hands up plaintively to indicate he wanted to suspend the hostilities.

“Desperate not to lose your job, huh Wheeler?” Kaiba taunted mercilessly, furious at the familiar use of his first name.

“Something like that… Let’s have a seat.” Joey gestured to a beautiful oval kitchen set where he had a pen and pad of paper set out. The two began talking about Seto’s office project and Joey was eventually able to steer him into begrudging submission, pulling stilted responses from him about what types of wood and fabrics he preferred and what eras of design he most connected with, although Joey could harbour a few guesses based on his firsthand experiences with Kaiba as both a brand and sometime acquaintance.

“First thing I’ll haveta do is come view the space to get a feel for any existing fixtures you’re looking to keep or complement. Take some pictures, measurements of course, technical boring stuff, blah blah blah. You know.” Joey cut his rambling short and ran his fingers absentmindedly through his hair as he made a few quick sketches of what they’d been talking about, as well as a couple of things they hadn’t. Kaiba was shocked to find that some of the drawings actually looked quite elegant and bit back a compliment.

“I’d prefer it if the owner, _the designer_ , were available for that type of thing Wheeler,” Kaiba said instead, tone pointed enough to indicate that their briefly established ceasefire had reached its inevitable conclusion.

“Naturally,” Joey replied with a single, placating nod. “I’ll have to see what I can do. Can’t have a V.V.I.P. like Seto Kaiba left the least bit unsatisfied, now can we?” _Was his tone_ challenging? Kaiba’s jaw flexed dangerously, the ebbing tide of his earlier ire suddenly rushing back to the fore until he was absolutely livid with it. When he opened a mouth that had inexplicably gone dry to say something cutting the showroom door jingled open.

“Saved by the bell,” Joey whispered, eyes meeting Kaiba’s confidently before sliding up ready to acknowledge their interloper. Seto felt a rush of adrenaline. Gone was the gawky, shrinking creature of youth, and in its place a fully realized, self-assured Joey Wheeler.

“Hey big brother!” Serenity’s bright, girlish voice acted as a counterbalance to the tension in the room when she came bustling in, a tray with two coffees in hand.

“Hey sis! Just finishing up an appointment, then we can get out of here for some dinner. I’m sure you remember Seto Kaiba.” Joey indicated Kaiba with a sweeping gesture before tucking the pad of paper into a nice looking briefcase that he pulled up from beneath the table.

“I just have to enter an order before I forget. Won’t be long.”

“Oh how quaint. You’ve found a boss who’s soft enough to let you and your sister work together,” Kaiba sneered. Serenity looked up from her typing to respond, an expression of confusion on her face, but Joey cut across whatever she’d been about to say.

“He is _very_ soft. Yes.” Serenity caught Joey’s eye and he shook his head at her almost imperceptibly. “I’m sorry, last I checked you still work with _your_ brother correct?” Joey asked in mock contemplation, scrunching up his face with faux perplexity.

Kaiba kept his face a cool, impassive monolith.

“I’ll have my assistant call to schedule a meeting at the mansion.”

“Can’t wait.”

And with a last frosty look over his shoulder Kaiba departed.

“Joey,” Serenity said, hands on hips and accusation in her voice. “Were you just flirting with Seto Kaiba?”

“I mean _maybe_?” Joey responded turning to face his sister with a shrug and barely attempting to look sheepish.

“Cruel bully of yesteryear Seto Kaiba? Did he not _literally_ used to call you a dog?” When Joey continued to opt for a silent defense Serenity looked back down at her laptop screen with raised eyebrows. “I’m not judging. Well, I mean, I am a bit.” She let out a sigh to focus herself as she continued to type. “What I’m trying to say is, I hope you know what you’re doing... Do you?”

“I dunno,” he said as he lightly pressed the heels of his palms into his eye sockets, trying to massage his tiredness away. “Ask me again tomorrow.”

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed the Sweet Home Alabama inspired meet-cute reunion and some David and Alexis Rose sibling vibes between Joey and Serenity. I never felt like she was given much of a character, so I took some liberties for her little cameo. Another two chapters planned with the second half written, we'll see if inspiration holds. If so expect the rating to go up!


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